3rd death linked to Philadelphia serial strangler

Christine Piacentini wipes her eyes near a makeshift memorial, not pictured, for her daughter, homicide victim Nicole Piacentini, in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Police in Philadelphia are pleading with residents not to become vigilantes as the search contin

/ AP

Christine Piacentini wipes her eyes near a makeshift memorial, not pictured, for her daughter, homicide victim Nicole Piacentini, in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Police in Philadelphia are pleading with residents not to become vigilantes as the search continues for a man accused in two stranglings and several other attacks. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Christine Piacentini wipes her eyes near a makeshift memorial, not pictured, for her daughter, homicide victim Nicole Piacentini, in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. Police in Philadelphia are pleading with residents not to become vigilantes as the search continues for a man accused in two stranglings and several other attacks. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (/ AP)

KATHY MATHESON, Associated Press

Police in Philadelphia say a third homicide is the work of a serial strangler and are pleading with residents not to become vigilantes as the search continues for the killer.

Authorities said Tuesday that DNA links the death of 27-year-old Casey Mahoney to the slayings of two women found beaten, raped and strangled in the city's Kensington section.

Three other women reported surviving sexual assaults in the area, two of whom said they were choked into unconsciousness.

The mayor has announced a $30,000 reward for information leading to the culprit's arrest and conviction.

Authorities stressed that neighbors must not take the law into their own hands. A man falsely identified as a suspect on Facebook called police for help after fearing vigilantes.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Authorities offered a $30,000 reward Tuesday for information on a serial strangler suspected in up to three deaths and three other attacks, even as they pleaded with the public not to become vigilantes in a case that has put a rough-and-tumble neighborhood on edge.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter joined police brass at a news conference in the city's Kensington section, steps from where the killer's second victim was found, and asked for residents' help.

"We strongly believe that someone - possibly in the neighborhood - someone, somewhere in the city of Philadelphia knows who this person is, or knows about them," Nutter said. "We are serious about getting this psycho off the streets."

Police investigating nine assaults in the area dating to early October have so far linked two deaths through DNA: Elaine Goldberg, 21, and Nicole Piacentini, 35, both of Philadelphia.

Each was beaten, raped and strangled in early November, their bodies dumped near trash-strewn lots about a mile apart. Relatives and police say both women struggled with drugs.

Police are awaiting test results on the body of a possible third victim, 27-year-old Casey Mahoney of East Stroudsburg, which is about 70 miles north of Philadelphia.

Three other women reported surviving sexual assaults in the same area, including one who said she was choked and left unconscious on the same lot where Piacentini was found.

The clamor around the attacks led to the creation of a Facebook page, "Catch the Kensington Strangler, before he catches someone you love."

People have filled the site with comments and theories about the case, but someone also falsely identified a suspect, leading to a crowd outside the man's home. Fearing a vigilante mob, he called police, who later publicly declared his innocence.

On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey warned against such behavior even when the culprit is identified.

"We will not tolerate anyone taking vigilante action against this individual," Ramsey said. "If you see someone suspicious, call 911. We will get there. We will handle."

In another Kensington case last year, a man suspected of raping an 11-year-old girl was severely beaten by angry neighbors who recognized him from a police photo. He was later charged and pleaded guilty.

Police investigating the strangling cases have ruled out a connection in the nearby death Dec. 3 of Allison Edwards, 22, who also struggled with drugs, according to her mother. Another pair of assaults in the area, which is a few miles northeast of downtown, also could not be linked to the strangler.

On Tuesday, the mayor offered a $30,000 reward sponsored by the city and Citizens Crime Commission for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. Separately, the local Fraternal Order of Police and Councilman Frank DiCicco have offered $7,000 for help simply leading to an arrest with a DNA match.

Edward Neisser, 62, was among dozens of curious neighbors at the news conference. Born and raised in Kensington, which has seen better days, Neisser angrily denounced what he described as too many halfway houses and abandoned, overgrown lots that conceal criminal activity.

"It's a disgrace what's going on around here," Neisser said. "The city could turn around and clean up these lots so none of this stuff happens."

Jayme Guokas, a 35-year-old carpenter who has lived in the neighborhood for six years, said he never considered it violent. And while some residents have talked about moving since the attacks first started, Guokas said he's holding his ground.

"There is a lot of crime and drug use and prostitution," he said. "That's counteracted by a lot of working people who are trying to invest in the neighborhood and make it better."